Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor device includes: a plurality of stacked semiconductor layers; a plurality of composite doped regions separately and parallelly disposed in a portion of the semiconductor layers along a first direction; a gate structure disposed over a portion of the semiconductor layers along a second direction, wherein the gate structure covers a portion of the composite doped regions; a first doped region formed in the most top semiconductor layer along the second direction and being adjacent to a first side of the gate structure; and a second doped region formed in the most top semiconductor layer along the second direction and being adjacent to a second side of the gate structure opposite to the first side thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to integrated circuit (IC) devices, andparticularly to a semiconductor device having a super-junction structureand a method for fabricating the same.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recently, as demand increases for high-voltage devices, such as powersemiconductor devices, there has been an increasing interest in researchfor high-voltage metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (HVMOSFET) applied in high-voltage devices.

Among the various types of high voltage metal-oxide-semiconductor fieldeffect transistors, a super-junction structure is often used forreducing the on-resistance (Ron) and maintaining high breakdown voltage.

However, with the trend of size reduction in semiconductor fabrication,the critical size of high-voltage MOSFETs in power semiconductor devicesneeds to be reduced further. Thus, a reliable high voltage MOSFET in thepower semiconductor device having a reduced size is needed to meetdevice performance requirements such as driving currents,on-resistances, and breakdown voltages, as the needs and trends in sizereduction of power semiconductor devices continue.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An exemplary semiconductor device comprises a plurality of stackedsemiconductor layers, a plurality of composite doped regions, a gatestructure, a first doped region, and a second doped region. Thesemiconductor layers have a first conductivity type. The composite dopedregions are separately disposed in parallel in a portion of thesemiconductor layers along a first direction. The composite dopedregions have a second conductivity type opposite to the firstconductivity type. The gate structure is disposed over a portion of thesemiconductor layers along a second direction, and covers a portion ofthe composite doped regions. The first doped region is disposed in themost top semiconductor layer along the second direction and is adjacentto a first side of the gate structure. The first doped region has thesecond conductivity type. The second doped region is formed in the mosttop semiconductor layer along the second direction and is adjacent to asecond side of the gate structure opposite to the first side. The seconddoped region has the second conductivity type.

An exemplary method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprises thefollowing steps: (a) providing a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI)substrate, comprising a bulk semiconductor layer, a buried insulatinglayer over the bulk semiconductor layer, and a first semiconductor layerover the buried insulating layer, wherein the first semiconductor layerhas a first conductivity type; (b) forming a first implanted region in aplurality of parallel and separated portions of the first semiconductorlayer, wherein the first implanted region comprises a secondconductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type; (c) forming asecond semiconductor layer over the first semiconductor layer; (d)forming a second implanted region in a plurality of parallel andseparated portions of the second semiconductor layer, wherein the secondimplanted region is disposed over the first implanted region, and hasthe second conductivity type; (e) performing a thermal diffusion processto diffuse the first implanted region in the first semiconductor layerand the implanted region in the second semiconductor layer into a firstdoped region and a second doped region, respectively; and (f) forming agate structure over a portion of the second semiconductor layer, a thirddoped region in a portion of the second semiconductor layer at a firstside of the gate structure, and a fourth doped region in a portion ofthe second semiconductor layer at a second side opposite to the firstside of the gate structure, wherein the gate structure extends over thesecond semiconductor layer along a second direction, and the third dopedregion and the fourth doped region have the second conductivity type.

A detailed description is given in the following embodiments withreference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention can be more fully understood by reading thesubsequent detailed description and examples with references made to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a semiconductor deviceaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross section alongthe line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3, 5, 8, 11, 14, and 18 are schematic top views showing a methodfor fabricating a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross section alongthe line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross section alongthe line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross section alongthe line 7-7 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross section alongthe line 9-9 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross sectionalong the line 10-10 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross sectionalong the line 12-12 in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross sectionalong the line 13-13 in FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross sectionalong the line 15-15 in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross sectionalong the line 16-16 in FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross sectionalong the line 17-17 in FIG. 14;

FIG. 19 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross sectionalong the line 19-19 in FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross sectionalong the line 20-20 in FIG. 18; and

FIG. 21 is a schematic perspective view of a semiconductor deviceaccording to another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carryingout the invention. This description is made for the purpose ofillustrating the general principles of the invention and should not betaken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determinedby reference to the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an exemplarysemiconductor device 10 having a lateral super-junction structure.

Herein, the semiconductor device 10 is a comparative embodiment and isillustrated as a metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor(MOSFET) configuration to discuss issues such as the driving-currentreduction that take place as the size of the semiconductor device 10 isreduced. However, the scope of the semiconductor device of the inventionis not limited by the illustrated semiconductor device 10 and may haveother configurations.

As shown in FIG. 1, the semiconductor device 10 comprises asemiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate 12, and the SOI substrate 12comprises a bulk semiconductor layer 14, and a buried insulating layer16 and a semiconductor layer 18 sequentially formed over the bulksemiconductor layer 14. The bulk semiconductor layer 14 and thesemiconductor layer 18 may comprise semiconductor materials such assilicon. The buried insulating layer 16 may comprise insulatingmaterials such as silicon dioxide. The semiconductor layer 18 maycomprise dopants of a first conductivity type, such as P-type. In thesemiconductor device 10, a super junction structure 20 is formed in aportion of the semiconductor layer 18, comprising a plurality ofadjacent doped regions 22 and 24 which are laterally and alternatelydisposed. The doped regions 24 are a portion of the semiconductor layer18 that have the same conductive type of the semiconductor layer 18. Thedoped regions 22 are doped regions comprising dopants of a secondconductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, such asN-type, and can be formed in various portions of the semiconductor layer18 by, for example, an ion implantation process. The doped regions 22may function as a drift region of the semiconductor device 10. Inaddition, a gate structure 26 is formed over a portion of thesemiconductor layer 18, and two adjacent doped regions 28 and 34, and adoped region 30 are formed in a portion of the semiconductor layer 18 atopposite sides of the gate structure 26. The doped region 34 is a dopedregion having the first conductivity type of the semiconductor layer 18,and the doped regions 28 and 30 are doped regions having the secondconductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type of thesemiconductor layer 18 for functioning as source and drain regions,respectively. The gate structure 26 extends over a portion of thesemiconductor layer 18 along the Y direction in FIG. 1 and partiallycovers the doped regions 22 and 24 of the super-junction structure 20.The doped region 30 is disposed in a portion of the doped regions 22 and24 and is surrounded by the doped regions 22 and 24. The doped regions28 and 34 are disposed in a well region 32 and are surrounded by thewell region 32. The well region 32 is a portion of the semiconductorlayer 18 adjacent to the doped regions 28 and 34 and is partiallycovered by the gate structure 26. The well region 32 comprises dopantsof the first conductivity type of the semiconductor layer 18, and abottom portion thereof contacts the top portion of the buried insulatinglayer 16. The doped regions 28 and 34 in the well region 32 aresurrounded by the well region 32.

In FIG. 2, a schematic cross-sectional view along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1is illustrated. As shown in FIG. 2, due to the use of the super-junctionstructure 20 formed by the doped regions 22 and 24 which are alternatelydisposed, the semiconductor device 10 is thus suitable for high-voltageoperation applications such as power semiconductor devices.

However, the doped regions 22 are formed by performing ion implantationand diffusion processes to various portions of the semiconductor layer18. Thus, as the size of the semiconductor device 10 is reduced, thedevice size such as the surface area of the semiconductor device 10 willalso be reduced, such that the area for forming the doped regions 22will be also reduced. Due to driving currents of the semiconductordevice 10 being in proportion to the sum of the cross-sectional area ofthe doped regions 22 in the semiconductor layer 18, reduction of thearea for forming the doped regions 22 may also reduce the drivingcurrents and increase the on-resistance of the semiconductor device 10.Thus, the surface area of the doped regions 22 needs to be increased tomaintain or improve the driving currents of the semiconductor device 10,which is variant of the size reduction of the semiconductor device 10.

Thus, an improved semiconductor device having a super-junction structureand a method for fabricating the same are provided to maintain orimprove driving currents of the semiconductor device, and maintain orreduce the on-resistance of the semiconductor device as a size thereofis further reduced.

FIGS. 3-20 are schematic diagrams showing an exemplary method forfabricating a semiconductor device, wherein FIGS. 3, 5, 8, 11, 14, and18 are schematic top views, and FIGS. 4, 6-7, 9-10, 12-13, 19-20 areschematic cross sectional views along predetermined lines in FIGS. 3, 5,8, 11, 14, and 18, respectively, thereby showing fabrications inintermediate steps in the method for fabricating the semiconductordevice.

In FIGS. 3-4, a semiconductor substrate 102 is provided first. FIG. 3shows a schematic top view of the semiconductor substrate 102, and FIG.4 is a schematic cross sectional view along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 4, the semiconductor substrate 102 is, for example, asemiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. The semiconductor substrate102 comprises a bulk semiconductor layer 104, and a buried insulatinglayer 106 and a semiconductor layer 108 sequentially over the bulksemiconductor layer 104. The bulk semiconductor layer 104 and thesemiconductor layer 18 may comprise semiconductor materials such assilicon. The buried insulating layer 16 may comprise insulatingmaterials such as silicon dioxide. The semiconductor layer 18 maycomprise dopants of a first conductivity type such as P-type or N-type.

As shown in FIGS. 5-7, a plurality of parallel and separated implantedregions 116 are next formed in the semiconductor layer 108. FIG. 5 showsa schematic top view of the semiconductor substrate 102 having theimplanted regions 116, and FIGS. 6-7 are schematic cross sectional viewsalong the lines 6-6 and 7-7 in FIG. 5, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 5-6, a patterned mask layer 110 is formed over thesemiconductor layer 108, and the patterned mask layer 110 is formed witha plurality of parallel and separated openings 112 therein. The openings112 extend along the X direction in FIG. 5 and expose a portion of thesemiconductor layer 108. The patterned mask layer 110 may comprisematerials such as photoresist, such that the openings 112 can be formedin the patterned mask layer 110 by processes such as photolithographyand etching (not shown) incorporating with a suitable photomask (notshown). Next, an ion implanting process 114 is performed, using thepatterned mask layer 110 as an implant mask, to implant dopants 115having a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivitytype of the semiconductor layer 108 to a portion of the semiconductorlayer 108 exposed by the openings 112, for example a depth H1 shown inFIG. 6. The depth H1 can be, for example, ½ of the depth of thesemiconductor layer 108, and it can be adjusted according to theperformed implanting process, but is not limited by those disclosedabove. In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, a portion of the semiconductorlayer 108 adjacent to the implanted region 116 is protected by thepatterned mask layer 110 and is not implanted by the dopants 115 havingthe second conductivity type in the ion implantation process 114,thereby still having the first conductivity type.

Referring to FIGS. 8-10, a semiconductor layer 118 is next formed overthe semiconductor layer 108, and a plurality of parallel and separatedimplanted regions 126 are formed in the semiconductor layer 118. FIG. 8is a schematic top view showing a semiconductor layer 118 having aplurality of implanted regions 126 therein, and FIGS. 9-10 are schematiccross sectional views along lines 9-9 and 10-10 in FIG. 8, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 8-9, after removal of the patterned mask layer 110 overthe semiconductor layer 108, a semiconductor layer 118 is next formedover the semiconductor substrate 102 by a method such as an epitaxialgrowth process. Herein, the thickness, material and dopants of thesemiconductor layer 118 can be the same as those of the semiconductorlayer 108, such as silicon materials and the first conductivity type.Next, a patterned mask layer 120 is formed over the semiconductor layer118, and a plurality of parallel and separated openings 122 are formedin the patterned mask layer 120. The openings 122 extend in the Xdirection in FIG. 8, and expose a portion of the semiconductor layer118. The patterned mask layer 120 may comprise mask materials such asphotoresist, such that the openings 122 can be formed by processes suchas a photolithography and etching process incorporating a suitablephotomask (not shown). In addition, the photomask for forming theopenings 112 can also be used to form the openings 122, such that theportion of the semiconductor layer 118 exposed by each of the openings122 is substantially located over the implanted region 116 formed in thesemiconductor layer 108. Next, an ion implantation process 124 isperformed, using the patterned mask layer 120 as a implanting mask, toimplant dopants 125 having the second conductivity type opposite to thefirst conductivity type of the semiconductor layer 118 in a portion ofthe semiconductor layer 118 exposed by each of the openings 122, forexample to a depth H2 shown in FIG. 9. The depth H2 can be, for example,½ of the thickness of the semiconductor layer 118, and it can beadjusted according to the performed implanting processes, but are notlimited to the processes described above. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 10,a portion of the semiconductor layer 118 adjacent to the implantedregion 126 is still protected by the patterned mask layer 120 and is notimplanted by the dopants 125 having the second conductivity type in theion implantation process 124, thereby maintaining the first conductivitytype.

Referring to FIGS. 11-13, after removal of the patterned mask layer 120,a semiconductor layer 128 is next formed over the semiconductor layer118 and a plurality of parallel and separated implanted regions 130 areformed in the semiconductor layer 128. FIG. 11 is a schematic top viewshowing the semiconductor layer 128 having a plurality of implantedregions 130, and FIGS. 12-13 are schematic cross sectional views alonglines 12-12 and 13-13 in FIG. 11, respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 11-12, processes for forming the semiconductor layer118 and the implanted regions 126 shown in FIGS. 8-10 can be used toform the semiconductor layer 128 and the plurality of the implantedregions 130 comprising the dopants 129. Therefore, fabrication of thesemiconductor layer 128 and the implanted regions 130 are not describedhere again. The configurations of the semiconductor layer 128 and theimplanted regions 130 are the same as those of the semiconductor layer118 and the implanted regions 126. As shown in FIG. 12, the implantedregion 130 is substantially located over the implanted region 130 and isaligned therewith, and the dopants 129 having the second conductivitytype opposite to the first conductivity type of the semiconductor layer128 are located at a place of a depth H3 in the semiconductor layer 128in the implanted region 130. The depth H3 can be, for example, ½ of thethickness of the semiconductor layer 128, and can be adjusted accordingto the performing processes, but are not limited by those describedabove. As shown in FIG. 13, a plurality of portions of the semiconductorlayer 128 adjacent to the implanted regions 130 are not formed withimplanted regions 130 therein.

Next, a thermal diffusion process 132 such as an annealing process isperformed to the structures shown in FIGS. 11-13 to diffuse the dopants115, 125, and 129 in the implanted regions 116, 126, and 130 into thesemiconductor layers 108, 118, and 128, respectively, as shown in FIGS.14-17.

Referring now to FIGS. 14-17, after the thermal diffusion process 132 isperformed, the dopants 115, 125, and 129 in the implanted regions 116,126, and 130 are thus diffused into each of the semiconductor layers108, 118, and 128, thereby forming a doped region 134, 136 and 138,which have the second conductivity type opposite to the firstconductivity type of the semiconductor layers 108, 118, and 128.

As shown in FIG. 14, a schematic top view of the semiconductor layer 128and the doped regions 138 formed therein are illustrated. FIGS. 15-17are schematic cross sectional views along the lines 15-15, 16-16, and17-17 in FIG. 14, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 14, from the top view, the doped regions 138, 136, 134are strip-like regions extending along the X direction in FIG. 14. Inaddition, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 17, the doped regions 134, 136, and138 formed in the semiconductor layers 108, 118, and 128 are stackedover the buried insulating layer 106 from bottom to top and have asubstantially oval-like configuration. The doped region 134 contacts theburied insulating layer 106, the doped region 136 contacts the dopedregions 134 and 138, and the doped region 138 contacts the doped region136. As shown in FIG. 16, the regions of the semiconductor layers 108,118, and 128 between the adjacent doped regions 134, 136, and 138 arenot formed with the doped regions 134, 136, and 138.

Referring now to FIGS. 18-20, a gate structure G is next formed over thesemiconductor layer 128, and doped regions 146 and 148 are formed in aportion of the semiconductor layer 128 at a side of the gate structureG, and a doped region 144 is formed in a portion of the semiconductorlayer 128 at another side of the gate structure G. FIG. 18 is aschematic top view, and FIGS. 19-20 are schematic cross sectional viewsalong lines 19-19 and 20-20 in FIG. 18.

As shown in FIG. 18, the gate structure G and the doped regions 144,146, and 148 are formed over or in the semiconductor layer 128 along theY direction in perpendicular to the X direction in FIG. 18. The gatestructure G partially covers the doped regions 138 and a portion of thesemiconductor layer 128 adjacent thereto, and the doped regions 146 and148 are formed in a portion of the semiconductor layer 128 at a sideadjacent to the gate structure G. The doped region 144 is formed in aportion of the semiconductor layer 128 at another side of the gatestructure G, and is also disposed in a portion of the doped region 138,as shown in FIG. 19. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 19-20, the gatestructure G comprises a gate dielectric layer 140 and a gate electrodelayer 142 sequentially formed over the semiconductor layer 128.

Herein, fabrication of the gate dielectric layer 140 and the gateelectrode layer 142 of the gate structure G and the doped regions 144,146, and 148 shown in FIGS. 18-20 can be formed by conventional highvoltage MOS processes, and the gate dielectric layer 140 and the gateelectrode layer 142 may comprise materials used in conventional HVMOSFETs, such that materials and fabrications thereof are not describedhere, and the doped regions 144 and 146 comprising dopants having thesecond conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type of thesemiconductor layer 128 may function as source/drain regions, and thedoped region 148 may comprise dopants of the first conductivity type ofthe semiconductor layer 128.

Therefore, fabrication of a semiconductor device 300 is substantiallycompleted, and the semiconductor device 300 is a MOS transistorcomprising a super-junction structure 330. The super junction structure330 comprises a plurality of parallel and separated composite dopedregions 310 composed of the doped regions 138, 136 and 134, having thesecond conductivity type, and a plurality of composite doped regions 320made of the semiconductor layers 128, 118, 108 adjacent thereto, havingthe first conductivity type. The separated composite doped regions 310composed of the doped regions 138, 136 and 134 may function as adrift-region of the semiconductor device 300, such that thesemiconductor device 300 can sustain a high breakdown voltage.

In one embodiment, as the semiconductor layers 108, 118, and 128 of thesemiconductor device 300 shown in FIGS. 18-21 have the firstconductivity type such as P-type, and dopants in the doped regionshaving the second conductivity type are N-type dopants, such that thesemiconductor device 300 formed is a PMOS transistor. Alternatively, asthe semiconductor layers 108, 118, and 128 of the semiconductor device300 shown in FIGS. 18-21 have the first conductivity type such asN-type, and dopants in the doped regions having the second conductivitytype are P-type dopants, the formed semiconductor device 300 is a NMOStransistor.

When compared with the semiconductor device 10 shown in FIGS. 1-2, oneor more interlayer semiconductor layers similar to the semiconductorlayer 118 can be further added or deleted from the semiconductor device300 shown in FIGS. 18-21 depending on designs such as driving currents,on-resistances and breakdown voltages, and the added semiconductor layer(not shown) and the doped regions therein can be the same as that of thesemiconductor layer 118, and can be formed by the fabrication of thesemiconductor layer 118 and the doped regions 126 therein shown in FIGS.8-10, and the thermal diffusion process 132 shown in FIGS. 11-13.Therefore, due to the formation of the semiconductor layer 118 and thedoped region 136 therein, without increasing the surface area of theseparated composite doped regions 310 in the super junction 330 of thesemiconductor device 300, film layers in the semiconductor layers andthe doping regions 136 are increased to increase the cross section ofthe overall semiconductor layers of the composite doped region 310,thereby increasing driving currents and reducing on-resistance of thesemiconductor device 300. In addition, a deep trench isolation (notshown) may be formed in the semiconductor layers of the semiconductordevice 300 to surround thereof. The deep trench isolation penetrates aportion of the semiconductor layers 128, 118, and 108, and is made ofinsulating materials such as silicon dioxide that contacts the buriedinsulating layer 106. Due to the formation of the deep trench isolation,noises affecting the semiconductor device 300 can be reduced and alatch-up effect in the semiconductor device 300 is thus prevented.

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms ofthe preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention isnot limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it isintended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (aswould be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope ofthe appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so asto encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.

What is claimed is:
 1. A semiconductor device, comprising: a pluralityof stacked semiconductor layers, wherein the semiconductor layers have afirst conductivity type and a same thickness; a plurality of compositedoped regions separately and in parallel disposed in a portion of thesemiconductor layers along a first direction, wherein the compositedoped regions have a second conductivity type opposite to the firstconductivity type; a gate structure disposed over a portion of thesemiconductor layers along a second direction, wherein the gatestructure covers a portion of the composite doped regions; a first dopedregion disposed in the most top semiconductor layer along the seconddirection and is adjacent to a first side of the gate structure, whereinthe first doped region has the second conductivity type; and a seconddoped region formed in the top most layer of the semiconductor layersalong the second direction and is adjacent to a second side of the gatestructure opposite to the first side, wherein the second doped regionhas the second conductivity type, wherein the first direction isperpendicular to the second direction.
 2. The semiconductor device asclaimed in claim 1, further comprising: a bulk semiconductor layer; anda buried insulating layer disposed over the bulk semiconductor layer,wherein the stacked semiconductor layers are disposed over the buriedinsulating layer.
 3. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the first conductivity type is P-type and the secondconductivity type is N-type.
 4. The semiconductor device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the first conductivity type is N-type and the secondconductivity type is P-type.
 5. The semiconductor device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the composite doped regions comprise a doped regionrespectively disposed and stacked in one of the semiconductor layersfrom top to bottom of the semiconductor layers.
 6. The semiconductordevice as claimed in claim 5, wherein the composite doped regions have asubstantially oval-like cross-sectional configuration.
 7. Thesemiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the semiconductorlayers are epitaxial semiconductor layers.
 8. The semiconductor deviceas claimed in claim 1, wherein the composite doped regions and a portionof the semiconductor layers adjacent thereto form a super-junctionstructure.